PHOTO.—Let the south side of the studio be glazed—not with clear but with ground glass. Should this not be procurable in your town, use plain glass, and dab it over with putty.
CRAWDON.—India-rubber finger-stalls will prove an effectual means of keeping fingers clean. We do not use them ourselves; but we know several gentlemen who do. They cost about threepence each.
EAST ANGLICAN.—There is no remedy for the spots in the paper except more care in the selection. The spots are owing to minute particles of metal introduced into the paper when in a state of pulp.
T. M. (Newcastle-on-Tyne).—So far as we know, the only house in the photographic trade from which you can obtain what is wanted is that of Mr. F. W. Hart, 8, Kingsland-green. The other matter shall receive attention.
W. W.—1. A vessel made of gutta-percha will both destroy and eventually be destroyed by a solution of nitrate of silver.—2. Slate does not appear to affect a nitrate bath.—3. Bees’ wax is not decomposed by this solution.
PIETRO CONSTANTINO REMONDINI (Genoa).—Enclosure received with thanks. The ALMANAC was posted on the 22nd January.
G. W. H.—It is quite impossible from such slender data us that supplied by you to obtain the information desired, but from the nature of the subject we are strongly of opinion that it would be dangerous for you to follow out your proposed intention.
INQUISITIVE READER.—You are mistaken in your supposition concerning the author of the article. He is not an amateur, but a professional of high standing, who, for certain reasons, prefers the adoption of a _nom de plume_ to giving his own name.
INQUIRER.—We could not in this column give you a proper idea of polarised light. The “three words” into which you would like the information compressed would have to be extended to many more before we gave you or our readers a clear idea of the nature and properties of polarised light.
PHOTOLITHO.—We are aware that Mr. Woodbury has so altered his process as to get rid of the necessity for using a preliminary coating of collodion. He now prints on the bare gelatine, and after exposure mounts the film, sensitive side downwards, on a plate of glass coated with gelatine and chrome alum.
PORTRAITS BY THE MAGNESIUM LIGHT.—Mr. W. G. Lewis has sent us some _carte_ portraits taken at night by the magnesium light, which show that in his hands this neglected branch of photography is very successfully managed. The faces are full of delicate half-tone. The time of exposure was three times that required in ordinary daylight.